


Belief is a Powerful Thing

by mountain_ash



Series: Things I Write on Tumblr dot com [37]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek Hale is Not a Failwolf, Derek Hale is a Softie, Ficlet, Future Fic, Not Beta Read, POV Stiles, Post-Canon, Scott McCall is a Bad Alpha, Spark Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 18:13:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14753817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mountain_ash/pseuds/mountain_ash
Summary: Deaton once told him he had to believe, and Stiles did. He believed in Scott, but now he's not so sure. Now, the more he watches the workings of the pack, he thinks he believes in Derek. What Deaton didn't him was that the true alpha's bright red eyes burn with the Spark's heat.





	Belief is a Powerful Thing

**Author's Note:**

> Originally on [tumblr](http://a-mountain-ash.tumblr.com/post/174248128030/hmmm-if-stiles-magic-just-works-on-belief-maybe) and based on [this](http://a-mountain-ash.tumblr.com/post/175342972850/mad-madam-m-ryvetted4-sterek-au-stiles-finds) post on tumblr!

It starts innocuously at first. Little things that begin to build a pattern in Stiles’ maze-like mind and niggle at him. Scott always checks on Liam first after a fight, before checking on Alec. He continues to trust his own intuition over Stiles’, ignoring clues that lead to another avoidable mass attack had Scott headed his warnings. He grows angry with Derek for being unavailable at scheduled pack meetings, despite rescheduling them regularly for his own commitments. They’re small things, but they build a pattern, and when Stiles finally acknowledges it, he can’t stop himself from collecting evidence.

He doesn’t share his thoughts with anyone at first, unsure whether he’s imagining things, but then one day they’ve survived another battle and Derek checks on Alec. Stiles sits stock still in the Jeep (with a completely refurbished engine courtesy of Sourwolf), staunching the bleeding gash at his hairline with the sleeve of his flannel and staring as the scene before him unravel. Scott rushes back through the trees after attempting to capture Monroe’s dick of a partner Felix and without a second look around him moves straight to Liam, despite the beta being up and about, albeit a little dazed. Alec, however, is sitting up slowly from his place on the gritty dirt alone and untended. Before Stiles can even call and make certain all his pieces are together, Derek is next to him, touching his wounds with gentle, assessing hands and then carefully helping him to his feet. Their newest beta is healed and returning to the Jeep with Derek before Scott even turns eyes upon him.

A few more weeks pass and Stiles spends it spreading alert runes around town and reinforcing the wards on the pack members’ homes with Derek. While he’s away in Virginia during school semesters, the wards help the pack keep an eye on the town and protect their homes. Even Stiles’ budding and powerful Spark magic isn’t strong enough, however, to sustain them permanently without regular fortification, and so he and Derek spend time during each of Stiles’ vacations reinforcing them. Stiles redraws the sigils and infuses them with his Spark and Derek attempts to locate and activate them. If they’re successful, Derek would both be incapable of avoiding them and they would alert Stiles of his presence. Scott had accompanied him on these projects years ago when Stiles had first learned to do it, but somewhere along the line he’d decided they weren’t useful enough and told Stiles not to bother. Derek had told him he liked feeling watched over and he’d taken over for Scott.

On this particular day, Derek is telling him about how the mechanic shop was getting busy and he was thinking about taking Malia up on her request for an apprenticeship. Stiles thinks it’s a good idea, especially since Malia had always struggled to feel connected to Beacon Hills on a human level. They take a break around noon to grab lunch from a food truck they pass and Derek pays for his meal. Derek always pays for his meal. Derek pays for everyone’s meals, he realizes. On impulse, Stiles asks him once how much money he really has and Derek says enough that he didn’t actually have to learn how to be a mechanic but he’d wanted to. Stiles asks why and Derek says someone had to fix the Jeep properly. Stiles isn’t certain he’s ever felt so cared for.

Deciding he could tell Derek if he couldn’t tell anyone else, Stiles breathes deeply and releases his pent-up pattern of frustration. Derek watches him closely from the passenger seat in the Jeep, nodding and humming in thought when appropriate, but otherwise not speaking. He waits a few extra moments when Stiles’ rapid speech finally abates to be certain he’s through before sighing wearily and looking down at his hands in defeat. He thought Scott would grow into being an alpha, he thought he could teach Scott, but he’d failed. Without thinking twice Stiles reaches out and grips his shoulder, pressing firmly into the muscle there to ground Derek to the truth that Scott’s shortcomings are not his fault. Bravely, Stiles even manages to tell Derek that he fills in where Scott falls short. The shocked warmth in Derek’s eyes as he turns toward Stiles is miraculous and sad. Stiles still can’t fathom how Derek can feel so insufficient. Derek is the only reason he and Scott are still alive. Had he ever made sure Derek knows that? Made sure he feels the truth of it deep in his bones?

Stiles draws up a pact with himself to make sure Derek knows he notices every minute contribution he makes to the pack. It takes immense creativity to point out these instances without excessive repetition. A day can’t go by where he doesn’t utter some variation of “thank you” every 5 minutes he’s in Derek’s presence. Derek goes and pours a cup of coffee for Alec who’s falling asleep over his textbook. _That was nice of you._ Lydia is stranded in the middle of the woods after following a banshee call and Derek is full shifting to find her in seconds. _I’m sure she appreciated you finding her so quickly._ Scott is stuck in traffic and needs Derek to start the meeting. _You do a good job keeping us involved._

A week of this has gone by and Stiles realizes that none of the compliments are difficult to come by. Each and every one is natural and genuine and has fallen easily from his lips the moment he’d decided to let them. Complimenting Derek is his favorite thing now. Explaining to Derek why he's complimenting him once the werewolf finally questions him is the most awkward thing. Derek kissing him once he finally gets the whole thing out is both awkward and excellent and Stiles is almost certain it supersedes the compliments. Though if he did them together…

Time passes and the pack continues to fend off Monroe’s attacks, but they make no headway. Alec suggests a new tactic and Scott makes to dismiss him but Derek urges him to listen. Scott never likes when Derek challenges him but lately he seems to bow to Derek’s words more easily. Stiles can’t help but feel proud, as though his encouragements and praise are finally helping Derek believe in himself like he does. Alec’s idea is good and they make headway but Scott gets injured. He doesn’t heal as quickly as usual which is odd, Stiles can recognize that, but he’s too grateful that Derek’s more severe injury is healing rapidly to pay it mind.

Stiles has to return to Virginia for his last semester and he’s fretful over leaving but Derek kisses him softly at the airport and tells him the pack will be alright. He’ll keep them safe. Of that, Stiles has no doubt and he whispers his faith into Derek’s ear so the rest of the pack standing farther from security can’t hear. Scott should be keeping them safe, he thinks offhandedly as he passes through the metal detector, but Derek has always paid those things more mind.

The moment Monroe trips one of his most potent runes, the one at the door to the Loft, Stiles wakes with a shout as in his mind an image plays of Derek growling ferociously at the woman, armed to the hilt with wolfsbane bullets. Why is Derek still there? Stiles wonders frantically. At the very least, the runes were supposed to give him time to escape. Then Stiles feels the presence of Scott in the scenario and he watches from the perspective of another rune to find the alpha bound with wolfsbane chains. Monroe must have used him to avoid tripping the runes, but how had she captured him? He doesn’t appear wounded just…Stiles is confused. Why is Scott so weak?

Monroe tightens the chains as Scott attempts to flee towards Derek and the alpha roars as the wolfsbane bites into his skin. His eyes flash red and then flicker, their bright light fading and morphing into something else. Something on the brink of yellow. In the moment of distraction, Derek lunges and she is dead. Stiles falls back into his bed in relief as the images flicker out. He’ll call Derek once Scott is likely cared for and recuperating. They are alive because of Derek.

After graduation, Stiles moves into the loft permanently. He and Derek see no reason he shouldn’t. This is their home where the pack all gathers and Derek protects the pack and he protects Derek. It occurs to Stiles one evening as Derek passes around plates of pizza that his home had always been open to everyone the entire time, even when they thought they didn’t want him. Derek gave without expecting anything in return, and Stiles has no idea how such a fragile heart could care so infinitely.

When he crawls into bed that night and turns to face the wolf, he presses a tender kiss to his lips. _I think you’re the alpha we always needed._ He whispers it into Derek’s ear like a secret, as though if the words come out too loud they’ll scare Derek away. Scruff scratches his cheeks as Derek tips his head to kiss Stiles again before pulling away. He opens his eyes and they burn red with Stiles’ spark.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments always appreciated and come visit me on [tumblr](http://a-mountain-ash.tumblr.com/)!


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